What is a "hangout game"?

Identifying a new genre is a fool's task, but I've never been wise. Sometimes a blossoming genre can be obvious, as when a huge success like Doom or Dark Souls comes along and inspires games for decades to follow. But sometimes a new genre is quiet, low-key, hiding just beneath the surface of a tumultuous industry. Sometimes you have to go fishing for it.

Let's catch the slippery "hangout game".

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